South Africa: Rescued miners face charges

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - South African police say 11 miners who were trapped by debris in an abandoned mine shaft and later rescued face charges of illegal mining.

The South African Press Association reported Monday that the miners are in police custody after their rescue a day earlier.

Emergency workers say other miners who were working illegally at the site near Johannesburg refused to come out of the shaft because they feared arrest. Local media say the trapped miners were discovered after police patrolling in the area heard shouting beneath a mine entrance that had been blocked by a large boulder.

Penalties for illegal mining include fines and prison time in some cases. Illegal mining is common in South Africa, a major producer of gold and platinum.

"Abandoned" does not denote no owners... A Chinese company now owns the mine. The mine was shut down and sealed up to prevent access to the mine, but these "miners" tunneled around the plugged shafts. Now the "miners" are affraid to come out for fear of being arrested for their illegal activities. Perhaps the Chinese company should reopen the mine, and higher these men to do the work for their usual low wages.

These are ostensibly abandoned mines but obviously, a lot of people still feel there's wealth in them.Unfortunately, no ligit outfit wants the responsibility of either securing them or working them. There has to be deeds of ownership. Where are the owners?